Tag: Method

In my last article, I outlined the reasons I choose to read my Bible each and every day. Today’s article below takes this a step further, outlining a very simple, yet comprehensive, method of gaining far deeper insights into the passages you are reading. This Bible study method—Part A, has been developed from information found in Josh McDowell’s Guide To Understanding Your Bible, by Josh McDowell. The downloadable template below, has been developed for personal or group use, and comes with limited instructions and examples, to get you engaging with your Bible every day, in a deeper, life changing way. For further detailed information, you should read Josh McDowell’s excellent book.

Here’s how it works:

Read a chapter of the Bible 3 times in a row.

The more times you read it, the more insight you will have in filling in the answers, in each section.

Divide the chapter into paragraphs.

A paragraph gives you one thought, amongst the greater theme of the chapter. In a Bible translation such as the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), the paragraphs have already been formatted for you.

In section 1, write out the first paragraph.

Writing out information helps trigger your memory when you need to recall it later.

In section 2, make observations derived from that paragraph.

These six questions help you to see much more detail, that simply reading your Bible does.

In section 3, write a keyword, or title for that paragraph.

This will be made use of in Section B.

In section 4, write down anything from that passage you would like more information about.

This is where you can write down words you would like to define better, places mentioned you might like to know more about, phrases you don’t understand, questions you may have.

In section 5, paraphrase the passage into your own words.

How would you explain the passage, to someone else, if you didn’t have it in front of you?

In section 6, write some points on how this passage might impact your life.

In section 7, write a personal prayer, based on what you now understand about this passage.

Grab a new template, and continue to the next paragraph.

Once you have completed the whole chapter, it will be time to move on to the next part of the Bible study method— Part B.